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David family murder–suicide

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Murder–suicide of the David family
LocationSalt Lake City, Utah, United States
DateAugust 3, 1978; 46 years ago (1978-08-03)
Attack type
Deaths8 (including the perpetrator)
PerpetratorRachal David (the mother)

The David family murder–suicide refers to a familicide which took place in Salt Lake City, United States, on the morning of August 3, 1978, in which Rachal David (1939–1978) pushed several of her children off an 11th floor hotel balcony and convinced at least the three oldest children to jump before her to their deaths.[1][2][3] A 15-year-old girl survived after spending a year in the hospital.[4][5][6] Three days earlier, Rachal's husband Immanuel David (1938–1978) who had said he was a divine leader had died by suicide.[2][7][4] The hotel was then called the International Dunes Hotel, but is now a Holiday Inn as of 2014.[8]

Background

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The murder-suicide was related to the family's religious beliefs around Immanuel's divine calling and wanting to follow him to the next life,[1][9] motivated by loyalty and altruism,[10]: 72  as well as financial concerns.[10]: 68  Immanuel (formerly Charles Bruce Longo before 1970)[5] was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) but was excommunicated in June 1969.[5][7] Immanuel was introduced to the LDS church while in the US Army.[7] After his time in the military he was a Mormon missionary in Uruguay, after which he and a Swedish woman Rachal (formerly Margit Briggita Ericsson)[5] met while enrolled in the LDS Church's largest school Brigham Young University.[7] After they were married and had several children Rachal's husband said he was a prophet and divine figure and developed a group of followers they called Family of David.[5][7][11] David died by suicide in Emigration Canyon near Salt Lake City while under FBI investigation for federal wire fraud.[12][13][14]

Aftermath

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Following the David family deaths, some of Immanuel's followers continued in the Family of David, and in 2000 some reported awaiting the return of Immanuel.[4] One of those was the surviving daughter now in a wheelchair after surviving the jump, and multiple subsequent suicide attempts.[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "The Death of a Family". Time. August 14, 1978. ISSN 0040-781X.
  2. ^ a b "Mother Killed With 6 Children In Utah Plunge". The New York Times. Associated Press. August 4, 1978.
  3. ^ Segrave, Kerry (1992). Women Serial and Mass Murderers: A Worldwide Reference, 1580 Through 1990. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. p. 81. ISBN 978-0-89950-680-7 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ a b c d "Cult still alive after '78 deaths Dad killed self; rest of family plunged from hotel balcony". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. April 11, 2000.
  5. ^ a b c d e Flowers, R. Barri; Flowers, H. Loraine (January 1, 2004). Murders in the United States: Crimes, Killers and Victims of the Twentieth Century. McFarland & Company. p. 127. ISBN 978-0-7864-2075-9 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "Survivor of '78 Family Suicide Jump Says Her Father Will Return to Earth". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. April 10, 1993.
  7. ^ a b c d e Gorney, Cynthia (August 10, 1978). "The 'Prophet' Who Failed". Washington Post. Washington D.C. ISSN 0190-8286.
  8. ^ Semerad, Tony (January 24, 2014). "New owner of Salt Lake City's Shilo Inn will make it a Holiday Inn". The Salt Lake Tribune.
  9. ^ Bernick, Bob Jr. (August 4, 1978). "Rachal saw no alternative but death". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. p. A13 – via Google News Archive.
  10. ^ a b Scott, Hannah; Fleming, Katie (December 20, 2013). "The Female Family Annihilator: An Exploratory Study". Homicide Studies. 18 (1). Sage Publishing. doi:10.1177/1088767913513152. ISSN 1088-7679.
  11. ^ Hancock, Janetha (August 4, 1978). "From Bruce Longo to Immanuel David". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. p. 6A – via Google News Archive.
  12. ^ Bauman, Joe; Boren, Ray; Croft, David (August 3, 1978). "Plunge from 11th floor of hotel kills mother, 6 children in S.L." Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. p. B1 – via Google News Archive.
  13. ^ Croft, David (August 4, 1978). "Fear of jail drove cultist to suicide". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. p. A1 – via Google News Archive.
  14. ^ Bauman, Joe (August 4, 1978). "Davids had money, expensive tastes". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. p. 6A – via Google News Archive.
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